Where My Heart Belongs

Hullo! OK, so i have been wandering around the Eastern half of the country for the past week....whew! and have things to share and tell and elaborate on, etc. But I will save that for when i'm not exhausted and have been on the road for 16 hours. Exactly.

BUT...i just wanted to let you know that the Smokey Mountains ARE RIDICULOUSLY GORGEOUS AND YOU SHOULD GO SEE THEM....NOW! i'm really sure that my heart belongs in the mountains, so i guess i'll test this upcoming fall to see if it's the East or West version of mountain that i prefer. In the meantime, however, drive to TN/NC and soak in the beauty because it is glorious.

~me

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

There are some words that i really love, ones that i only use in certain situations and some that i cherish so much i only use once in a blue moon. Words, big or small, weird or not, have so much more significance and value than i think we credit them for. It's funny how words that get continuously used slowly lose their meaning, depth or worth and fade into the over-used pile. This is always a shame, but they always seem to make a comeback sooner or later. However, along with these words that i completely adore there are words that i absolutely despise. Some are just picky like "get", i don't know why but i just cannot stand that word. And yes i know i already used it once in this post, i tried to bypass it with no success. However, there is a word that i wish would completely fade out of existence and never make it's way back around. "Fail." It has no grace, no glory, no beauty, no strength, no encouragement and no peaceful sound. If you can imagine nails running down on a chalkboard or the noise of a violent crash of objects, this is what i hear when that word is spoken; painful noise. The weight that this word carries is so much more heavy and deteriorating than many people believe it to be and i honestly wish it would just die. What makes anything a fail? By whose standards is one judging this or that or him or her and with right, to the point where the word "fail" is used as a descriptor? Perhaps it has become more culturally hip and therefore roles more freely off the tongue. Still....it can be saved, it can be spared for those times when you didn't work your butt off as much in chemistry class as you should have and therefore deserve that horrid F. Just the same though, i am not in favor of this word, may it rest in pieces. HE does not create anything that is defined as a failure. I would however like to leave you with my favorite word of all time. It is simple and eloquent and i feel that it sums up more than most of its competitors. I am a fan.

Beautiful.

~me

Summer Plans

My so-called summer "to-do" list:

1) girl trip to Virginia to see cousins

2) D.C. visit as well

3) dye a streak of my hair hot pink

4) make a few trips down to the beach

5) my BIRTHDAY! planning and celebrating and the likes

6) be a counselor at camp of champions

7) play frisbee or softball or volleyball at least twice a week

8) picnics

9) experiment some more with tie dying

10) apply to YWAM

11) write and send out newsletter

12) hopefully visit family in Nashville again

13) be a counselor at Ikthoos Camp

14) finish at least the fourth season of Buffy

15) talk G.C. into getting me a great dane for my birthday

16) make lots of artsy crafty doodads

17) go swimming and enjoy it. . .water--yuck

18) wrap up small groups :(

19) cook in more and eat out less

20) go to the zoo

21) ride the Bruce more

22) spend more time with the fam

23) soak up every moment of the last summer i will have with all of my friends in the same town

This could possibly be the most bitter-sweet of summers i will ever experience but God is good and all He does is out of love. So, i'm hoping and looking forward to a terrific summer and i hope that you are as well because summer is AWESOME. Exactly.

~me

♥

May the 4th be with you!

source

....and dinosaurs too.

~me

Coffee Fairy

Tuesday i spent the greater half of the day and on into the night writing. Monday too, but Tuesday is what drained me. My final test and 10 page paper were due on Wednesday morning and i was scrambling to get the finishing touches on my paper. Grr. I stayed up until 5 am Wednesday morning and got up at 6:20am. I dreamed of literature and woke up with Joanna Newsom's song inflammatory writ stuck in my head. i kid you not. Took the test, the essay part was brutal. I think i did terrible. One hour of sleep will do things like that to you. However, teacher gave us a grace period to turn in our papers -- 5pm Thursday. THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU! It made life look a little brighter. At one point while i was taking that exam and scribbling away on paper i realized that i had more or less been continuously writing for the past 12 hours. People, that is not cool. My brain has reached its limit i'm afraid. hoorah?

I have a Dr. for a sister now. She's so cool. Graduation was yesterday afternoon and it was far from boring but definitely long. 73 new Dr.'s. The storm blowing through took out the power on campus and all over S-ville. Made for a weird experience, especially the reception since it was at the V-school. c-r-e-e-p-y. Chats with Mr. G about missions and working with kids. Caught me off guard some. J.H. Ranch.

Youth Church practice at La's and Rudy's. Utilizing the daylight. Pro. Hunger pains were attacking the majority of the crew. Plan of action was put into play. Grilled the foodsen and ate by candle light. The stars....oh the stars were beautiful. Won't get that kind of a view in the middle of town ever again. G.C. goes home to where there is power. 2 papers left to finish. Sorrows. Little sis spent the night, she was sort of stranded.

And now that i have been successful at procrastinating.... i guess i'll get to work on finishing that horrid paper. yikes! wish me luck and stuff...or the abundance of creative juices.

Where is my coffee fairy when i need her?

~me

The Things That Are Exciting

Finals are upon us. In all the fullness of finals. The stress and dumbness and lack of sleep has hit an unnerving high. Literally. The fact that my eye has been in constant twitch mode for a week now cannot be a good sign. No, it just can't. I went over to Gracie's house last night. I walked in the door and she looked at me and immediately offered me coffee. Yea, it's that bad. I'm afraid i might start the zombie apocalypse here soon. So basically if i can make it through to Wed at 5pm central time, alive mind you, I will be ok.
I hope.
So, in other news................................i want to keep it a secret but really, most everyone who reads this blog already knows, so what the heck! I am quitting my job on Friday the 13th of May (ironic, huh?). This seems dumb but i promise i have an explanation. I do. So, this summer = a LOT of changes. People are moving away and basically it sucks. I'm possibly going to be a counselor at COC (yayay) and get to go to the beach with G.C. which leaves me no time to really work. I'd have to take off like every weekend which isn't allowed. PLUS, i'd like to be able to see and hang out with my friends before they leave and before i leave.
Wait what!? Did i just say "i leave"...? Yea. Don't make me repeat myself, kid.
Here's the deal-eo: YWAM. I probably mentioned something about this last year, maybe not, but it's been on my heart for awhile. YWAM stands for Youth With A Mission and is focused on discipling others and then training them to go out and do the same. The lecture phase is 3 months, which is short, but for me it'll be like 12,000 years because i have been prone to get homesick in the past. Maybe that's because i was dying in the Atlanta airport though? Yea...
Let's just say i am ridiculously excited! I still don't yet know where i will be located but i'm waiting. HE is in control and HE loves me, which is comforting beyond measure. I love seeing HIS hand working in my life and HIS timing...oh my gosh HIS timing is always the best. HE is good. I am blessed.
Expecting.

~me

Show Me Your Dance Moves

I AM JUST SO EXCITED ABOUT LIFE RIGHT NOW!! DON'T ASK ME WHY, I MIGHT TELL YOU LATER BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER!! I'M JUST SO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O SUPER STOKED!! WAHOOOO!
also, i do not have an enthusiastic personality... eckhmm. :D

yes. . . . that excited!

~me

Wheeee!

Secret plans. . . .

muhaha